Golf ball washing apparatus



F. C. MONTUORI GOLF BALL WASHING APPARATUS Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 19, 1962 INVENTOR FELIX C. MONTUORI ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1964 F. c. MONTUORI GOLF BALL WASHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1962 INVENTOR FELIX C. MONTUORI ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,120,669 Patented Feb. 11, 1964 3,128,669 Gilli BALL WAHHNG APPARATUS Felix C. Montuori, 1244 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md. Filed .lune l5, 1W2, er. No. 283,507 iii @lairns. (Cl. l5-97) This invention relates to a golf ball washing machine, and more panticularly to a heavy duty golf ball washing apparatus suitable for use where large quantities of golf balls must be handled in the course of business, such as a driving range, pitch-and-putt course or the like.

At larger driving ranges many thousands of golf balls are used by the customers, in the course of which the golf balls become dirtied and unsightly as a result of grass stains, mud, golf club marks, etc. it is important to keep the golf balls as clean as possible so that the customer will not have to handle muddled or dirtied golf balls in the course of his play. Further, inspection of the golf balls by the management or range attendants to determine whether the golf balls should be replaced can be achieved much more speedily when the balls are clean, as well as facilitating the location of driven balls on the range for pickup. Not to be overlooked of course is the fact that customers prefer to purchase buckets of clean and bright golf balls, which indicate to the customer that the driving range or other golf installation is well run with his interests in mind.

The rapid and efficient cleaning, however, of such large numbers of golf balls has heretofore presented considerable problems to driving range operators. it is obviously impractical to wash the balls singly, as is done by the individual golfer, and by the same token, the driving range cannot afford to employ a large number of attendants or helpers to manually wash the balls in large lots, which would manifestly result in a marked increase in cost to the customer in using the golf range facilities.

Commercially available large capacity golf ball washers are very high in cost, commonly running more than $560.00 per machine, exclusive of shipping, installation and upkeep. An example of such a golf ball washing machine is illustrated and described in the 1961 Golf Range Supply Catalogue, page 7, priced at $535.00.

Various expedients have been tried in an effort to lower the cost of this apparatus to the driving range operator. For example, small concrete mixers have been sold to golf range operators for use as golf ball washing machine, see Golf Operators Handbook (1956), page 56. Such a concrete mixer can be purchased for several hundred dollars less than golf ball washing machines, but as can be readily appreciated, these concrete mixers require some modification and alteration to satisfactorily handle golf balls, and in any even the use of a concrete mixer as a golf ball washer constitutes a rather makeshift substitute for machines intended and designed to Wash golf balls exclusively.

More importantly, both commercially available golf ball washers and makeshift concrete mixer washers suffer from important design and operating defects. While the same handle fairly large quantities of golf balls, grass and gritty debris tend to remain in close proximity to the balls throughout the washing thereof. As a result, the balls are constantly abraded and scuffed by the sand or grit during ball travel, and the balls become scarified, rapidly losing their White sheen or luster. Further, the grass and leaves are likewise in proximity to the balls, and are also abraded by the grit, often while in contact with the balls, resulting in a pale green grass stain being readily imparted to the roughened surface of the balls.

These effects as described tend to be cumulative and increasingly deleterious through prolonged use of the apparatus, and especially as previously washed balls are again recycled therethrough, due to the constant accumulation of grit and grass particles in the ball-washing parts of the machine.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide a high capacity golf ball washing machine which does not suffer from the above described disadvantages but rather, provides high effective yet simple means for continuously flushing grit and grass from the balls as. they pass through the apparatus, whereby accumulation of grit and grass in proximity or contact with the balls is positively prevented.

It is another principal object of my invention to provide a high-capacity golf ball washing machine which is simple in structural character, and therefore readily and easily manufactured at minimum cost, which yet will effectively wash and clean golf balls in large quantities as necessitated in the operation of golf driving ranges and the like.

A further object of my invention is to provide a golf ball washing machine which does not require complex fabrication or assembly techniques, but rather can be readily and relatively inexpensively assembled from easily available materials, and repaired with equal facility.

Another object of my invention is to provide a golf ball washer which can accommodate larger or smaller quantities of golf balls without requiring modification or alteration thereof, the apparatus performing effectively regardless of the number of golf balls handled thereby and operate continuously.

Another object is to provide a golf ball' Washing apparatus of the rotary drum type wherein the rotary drum in which the golf balls are tumbled is disposed on an inclined axis to permit the golf balls. to advance there through by gravity and wherein positive, novel means are provided for flushing the grit and grass from the balls and for simultaneously discharging a quantity of cleansed and washed balls from the discharge end of the apparatus without injury or damage thereto.

As indicated, in the course of washing large quantities of golf balls, considerable quantities of grass leaves. and dirt are accumulated. It is an important object of my invention to provide a golf ball washing apparatus wherein the accumulated debris may be readily discharged from the machine Whenever desired by the attendant, even during operation of the machine. Further, if desired, such flushing of the debris from the machine can be made automatic.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a washing apparatus which delivers and discharges a plurality of golf balls therefrom in a substantially continuous manner. This quantity discharge is in marked contrast to the single-file ball delivery of presently avail able machines.

Other objects and advantages of my inventionwill be come. apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with. the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my golf ball washing machine as seen from the supply or hopper end thereof, a portion of the apparatus being broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the front or discharge end of my machine, portions thereof being broken away for clarity;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation. of my machine, with the.

hopper, tank, and tumbling drumbeing shown in section;.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking toward the discharge end of the machine;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the scrubber bars in more detail and their manner of connection to the end plates of the tumbling drum.

Referring to the drawings, my improved golf ball Washing machine comprises a rigid supporting frame 12 having mounted thereon a tank or trough 14 for washing liquid. Rotatably mounted within the tank 14 is a tumbling and scrubbing drum 16 which may be revolved in any convenient manner, such as by a motor 18. A hopper 20 for unwashed golf balls is provided at the inlet end of the drum 16, while a discharge guide 22 is located at the forward delivery end of the tumbling drum 16.

The tumbling and scrubbing drum 16 comprises forward and rear annular end plates 24, 26, respectively, which are maintained in spaced rigid alignment by means of a plurality of circumferentially arranged longitudinally extending scrubber bars 28. The scrubber bars 28 are preferably detachably secured to the respective end plates, as by means of nut and bolt connections 30.

The scrubber bars 28 are circumferentially spaced from one another, as best seen in FIG. 4, to provide a series of gaps 32 therebetween of maximum Width. In practice, these gaps 32 between adjacent scrubber bars 28 will be approximately one inch in width. The circumferential arrangement of and wide spacing between the scrubber bars is a chief factor in contributing to the effectiveness of the apparatus, as will be explained hereinafter.

The scrubbing bars 28 each preferably comprise a rod-like or tubular rigid core 34 and a tubular outer envelope or sheath 36. The sheath 36 is in physical contact with the golf balls, and comprises a resilient, fabriclike material such as carpeting, sponge rubber or a durable plastic material such as polyurethane foam. The sheath 36 is preferably not fixedly secured to the rods 34, but is readily slipped thereover prior to assembly of the rods 34 onto the end plates 24, 26. In this manner, when the resilient covering 36 becomes Worn, it may readily be replaced by disassembly of the scrubber bars 28 from the end plates, removing the worn sheaths 36, and slipping new tubular sheaths or wrapping over the rods. Further, as the scrubber bars 28 are slightly elongated in transverse cross section, being somewhat oval or elliptical, a maximum scrubbing area is presented to the golf balls within the drum 16, yet minimizing the number of scrubber bars required. The oval shape of the scrubber bar rods 34 tends to retain each sheath 36 in position as initially slipped thereover. As the portion of the sheath 36 which faces inwardly of the drum will receive the greatest wear, it is possible to renew the actual scrubbing surface of the sheath 36 without re placing the entire sheath. This is achieved by simply manually revolving the sheath 36 relative to the tube or rod 34 to advance an outside, unworn surface of the sheath 36 to the inside of the drum, the worn sheath portion being similarly advanced toward the outside of the drum. The Wide flushing gaps 32, previously referred to, facilitate such repositioning of the sheath relative to the tube, whereby it is unnecessary to dismantle the drum 16 for this purpose.

An important element of the tumbling drum 16 is the delivery shoe or baflle 38, FIGS. 3 and 4. The shoe 38 is secured to the front end plate 24 as by bolts and extends rearwardly therefrom internally of the drum, as shown. The shoe 38 is preferably slightly arcuately curved as seen in FIG. 4, whereby as the drum revolves in a counterclockwise direction to carry shoe 38 to the six oclock position, a number of washed golf balls will be received on the shoe and against the adjacent scrubber bar 28, thence carried upwardly, and discharged as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4 onto the inclined fingers of discharge guide 22.

As seen in FIG. 2, at the forward end of the apparatus is a transversely extending frame member 40 having an arcuate central portion which receives the forward ends of each of the several fingers of guide 22 and secured to the frame member thereat. It will be noted that several of the fingers centrally of the finger series are longer than the others and extend through the central aperture of end plate 24 inwardly of the tumbling drum 16, as best seen in FIG. 3, to about the extent of the inward projection of shoe 38, whereby these longer fingers will readily receive the golf balls discharged from shoe 38 as the latter progresses toward the twelve oclock position. The remainder of the fingers 22 are somewhat shorter and serve to effectively screen the discharge outlet to prevent any of the balls passing therethrough from bouncing or being deflected laterally, whereby all of the golf balls are discharged from the guide 22 into a suitable receiver, such as a bucket 42 or other receptacle provided at the discharge end of the apparatus. The bucket 42 is shown only diagrammatically for this purpose, and is not intended to represent a particular m0unting or support thereof in exclusion of other receptacle means provided.

The tumbling and scrubbing drum 16 is supported for rotation upon a plurality of rollers 44 rotatably mounted upon cross frame members within the tank 14, FIGS. 2 and 4. The rollers 44 are preferably provided with rims or flanges in the nature of pulleys, to surround and embrace the edges of the forward and rear end plates 24, 26. The rear end plate 26 is provided with a tubular extension 46 which telescopes over the discharge mouth of ball hopper 20, FIG. 3, to insure that all balls discharged from the hopper will pass smoothly into the tumbling and scrubbing drum 16. A pulley 48 is rigidly secured to the tubular extension 46, and a drive belt 58 is trained around the pulley 48 and around a similar pulley on the shaft of motor 18, to thereby revolve the drum 16. Suitable on-otf and speed controls 52 may be mounted on the side of the tank 14, FIG. 1, whereby the attendant may readily control the operation of motor 18 and the apparatus.

At intervals it may become necessary to replenish and/or replace the water or other liquid in the tank 14, and to flush accumulated silt, sand and grass clippings therefrom. To this end, a valved discharge connection 54 is provided at the forward, lower end of the tank 14, FIGS. 2 and 3, and a similar valved inlet connection 56 is provided on the rear wall of the tank 14, FIG. 1. It will be apparent that electrically actuated solenoid valves or the like may be substituted for the manual valves schematically illustrated at 54 and 56, with control connections therefor being associated with the motor control switch housing 52. Thus the tank may be flushed by operation of a switch control at 52, and by the same token a suitable timer may also be provided within the switch housing 52 to provide for automatic opening and closing of the valves 54, 56 at regular intervals during continued operation of the apparatus.

If the apparatus 10 is to be used only for short periods due to the relatively high capacity thereof, it will not be necessary to provide for automatic flush controls therefor.

My golf ball washing machine 10 above described will be seen to be compact, simple in construction, and requires only a source of electric current for the motor 18 to be placed into operation, and preferably a fluid supply line for the tank 14.

Operation In operation, the trough or tank 14 is filled slightly more than half way, or sufficiently to immerse the lower portion of the rotating drum 16. The motor 18 is energized to revolve the drum on its roller mounting.

A supply of dirty unwashed golf balls is placed into the hopper 20, which discharges the golf balls through the spout portion thereof into the rear end of the rotating and brushing drum 16. As the drum revolves, the several scrubber bars 28 will be successively brought into contact with the balls within the drum at or slightly below the water level, the resilient surface 36 of the scrubber bars serving to gently brush the entire periphery of each ball as the balls are advanced by rotation of the inclined drum. The cascading water on the balls is facilitated by virtue of thespaced scrubber bars 28 and flushing gaps 32 therebetween which provide in effect an irregular internal contour to the drum. As. the drum revolves, the ballsv will slowly gravitate toward the forward or discharge end of the drum due to the slight inclination thereof from the horizontal.

During this tumbling, brushing and ball-advancing action, dirt, sand, grit, leaves and grass are washed and wiped from each of the balls and discharged between the scrubber bars 28 through the gaps 32, the sand and grit gravitating readily to the bottom of the trough 14, and leaves and other particles likewise slowly sinking theretoward, whereby the same are removed from the area of the balls and cannot reabrade thereagainst or stain the balls during the continued advance in the drum.

In this connection it is important to note the function performed by the relatively wide spacing betwen the scrubber bars 28. As each gap 32 is approximately an inch in width, there is provided ample clearance to permit the rapid discharge of dirt, sand and mud, and likewise longer pieces of grass as well as bits of leaves are equally readily passed therethrough, and do not remain within the drum or accumulate on the scrubber bars themselves. As the scrubbing bars 28 pass the six oclock position and are elevated from the liquid in the tank 14, the same effect a pumping or flushing action on the water, and by virtue of the large flushing gaps 32, dirt and debris are cleanly and effectively flushed through the gaps to accumulate in the bottom of the tank 14 away from the balls.

At the forward end of drum 16, the delivery shoe 38, as the same approaches the six oclock position, will scoop up a number of clean golf balls and elevate the same to approximately the twelve oclock position, at which time the balls will fall therefrom and onto the inwardly extending tines of discharge guide 22. The flushing action through the large gaps 32 is especially enhanced at the delivery end of the apparatus by the shoe 38. In addition to its function of receiving a number of golf balls and elevating the same for discharge, it will be seen that the shoe 38 also acts somewhat in the nature of a paddle wheel. Thus, as the shoe 38 passes downwardly into the liquid in the trough to accumulate a charge of clean golf balls, the shoe will impel the water in relatively large quantity as it passes therethrough to cleanly flush any and all remaining debris from the interior of the drum and through the large flushing gaps 32 between the scrubber bars 28. The cooperation between the large flushing gaps 32 and bars 28 and the paddle-like action of delivery shoe 38 in effecting the continuous pumping flow of large quantities of dirt laden water, is a significant feature of my machine and contributes largely to the high output obtained of clean, white, unabraded golf balls therefrom. Thus, while my apparatus does not occupy any more space than commercially available golf ball washing machines, the novel design of my apparatus to permit free flow and discharge of grit and grass permits my machine to achieve results not presently achieved by any other apparatus.

The golf balls delivered to the rubber tines 22 roll by gravity from the machine and are collected in a suitable receptacle. As above stated, at predetermined intervals either automatically or semiautomatically, the tank 14 may be flushed of accumulated debris and dirt, through inlet and outlet piping 56,54.

In addition to the pumping or flushing action effected by the large gaps 3-2 between the scrubber bars 28, these gaps also are of suflicient width to permit the insertion of the hand therethroug'h when the machine is at rest for the purpose of relocating fresh portions of the scrubber bar sheaths 36, as above indicated.

While I have shown but a single delivery shoe 3%, it is apparent that a number of such shoes may be provided if desired to achieve higher output of the apparatus and/ or greater hydraulic pumping action, although a single shoe as illustrated has proved highly effective in actual use. Further, the angle or inclination of the shoe or shoes 38 may be made adjustable by suitably located bolt holes, and also the length thereof may be regulated if desired by forming the shoe 38' from a pair of overlapping adjustable plates.

Other changes and alterations may be made in the apparatus as to the size or shape of portions thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A golf ball washing apparatus comprising a supporting frame,

a tank for washing liquid on said frame,

a scrubbing drum having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced scrubber elements with each of said elements being spaced from the next adjacent element by a distance slightly less than the diameter of a golf ball to provide a maximum gap therebetween,

means rotatably mounting said drum within said tank to dispose the lower drum portion immersed in tank liquid and the lowermost immersed scrubber elements thereat inclined from the horizontal,

an inlet hopper for unwashed golf balls,

means for rotating said drum,

a longitudinally extending hall-receiving shoe rigidly mounted within said drum at its discharge end adjacent a scrubber element, and

guide means mounted exten'orly of said drum and projecting interiorly thereof at its discharge end and radially inwardly of said shoe for receiving cleansed golf balls gravitally therefrom as said shoe revolves around said guide means, said guide means permitting liquid drainage from said balls into said tank prior to ball discharge,

whereby rotation of said drum successively immerses said scrubber elements and impels them against the golf balls to rotate and brush the latter, continuing drum rotation serving to pump and flush debris from the drum interior through the gaps between said scrubber elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the liquid level within said tank is of sufficient depth to immerse said shoe during a portion of its revolution whereby said shoe pumps debris-laden liquid from the interior of said drum and between said spaced scrubber elements thereof as said shoe receives and elevates a charge of cleansed golf balls.

3. The apparatus of claim 2. wherein said shoe is of arcuate curvature in transverse cross-section having its concave surface facing substantially in the direction of rotation of said drum to facilitate elevation of golf balls thereon and to maximize pumping action on the debrisladden liquid.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide means comprise a plurality of tines arranged in an arcuate pattern substantially concentrically of the drum axis and additional tines exteriorly of said drum extending said arcuate pattern to prevent lateral deflection of discharged golf balls from said guide means, while permitting liquid drainage therefrom.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said scrubber elements each comprise a rigid central member, and an outer sheath of resilient material surrounding said member, said sheath being revoluble relative to said member.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including spaced valved liquid inlet and liquid outlet connections to said tank.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including timer means for actuating said valves.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said drum further includes annular forward and rear plates between and to which said scrubber elements are detaehably secured.

8 9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said sheath is 630,336 Foster Aug. 8, 1899 formed of soft plastic-like material. 1,984,237 Southan Dec. 11, 1934 10. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said sheath is 2,308,775 Olson Jan. 19, 1943 formed of polyurethane foam. 2,510,826 Lillevick June 6, 1950 5 2,558,138 Johnson June 26, 1951 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 311,494 Johnson Feb. 3, 885 611,806 France July 17, 1926 

1. A GOLF BALL WASHING APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING FRAME, A TANK FOR WASHING LIQUID ON SAID FRAME, A SCRUBBING DRUM HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SCRUBBER ELEMENTS WITH EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING SPACED FROM THE NEXT ADJACENT ELEMENT BY A DISTANCE SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF A GOLF BALL TO PROVIDE A MAXIMUM GAP THEREBETWEEN, MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID DRUM WITHIN SAID TANK TO DISPOSE THE LOWER DRUM PORTION IMMERSED IN TANK LIQUID AND THE LOWERMOST IMMERSED SCRUBBER ELEMENTS THEREAT INCLINED FROM THE HORIZONTAL, AN INLET HOPPER FOR UNWASHED GOLF BALLS, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRUM, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BALL-RECEIVING SHOE RIGIDLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID DRUM AT ITS DISCHARGE END ADJACENT A SCRUBBER ELEMENT, AND 